The Foundation

Matthew 7 Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts of them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.

Laying a good foundation is more important than well laid plans.

Have you ever planned something and thought you had done so well; paid attention to the details and thought it would work out perfectly only to find yourself in a nightmare of your own making? Sometimes it just happens. And sometimes it happens when we step outside of God's plan and go it on our own. Sometimes things come along that seem so perfect for us that we don't even need to ask God about it, we just jump right in.

I happen to find myself in that very uncomfortable position right at this moment. I have gone to quite a lot of trouble and expense to bring us right into the path of blowing winds and torrential rain.

Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell-and great was its fall.

Recently a perfect opportunity presented itself to me in the form of a travel job in Denver, CO. It was day shift at my favorite hospital and in my favorite place to live. A perfect package all wrapped up for me. So, it must be from the Lord, right? Everything about it was made for me so without really giving it much thought and kind of just informing everyone of my plans we headed out.

Over the last couple of weeks either one of two things has happened; one may be that I am finally having the mental breakdown I deserve or I have stepped completely out of the Lord's plans for me. Either way, my foundation is slipping.

Did you ever steal anything as a kid or maybe you got caught in a lie? Remember that awful feeling in the pit of your stomach? Yeah, I have had that for the last week. Can't sleep. No appetite. Hard to look anyone in the eye. Guilty conscience with a little bit of shame mixed in.

Suddenly your prayers don't seem to go anywhere and they sound kind of flat or you try to read your Bible it just makes your stomach hurt and you just want to run away.

Some mistakes are costlier than others. This one is very inconvenient and expensive and I feel very foolish and my pride hurts a little. So I will make some calls and some apologies and share my foolishness with anyone reading this because it is cheaper than therapy and maybe confession really is good for the soul. My family will forgive me again, I hope and I will recover and hopefully learn a lesson.

A well laid foundation is better than well laid plans.

It reminds me of the song that says, On Christ the solid rock I stand all other ground is shifting sand. All other ground is shifting sand.

Father thank you for Your redemptive work in my life and for loving me no matter how ridiculous I can be. Forgive me for the times that I step out on my own without any thought of bringing all things to You and looking to You for direction. Thank you for that terribly uncomfortable feeling that I get when I know I have run ahead or lagged behind. Give to me this day and every day, my daily bread and forgive me of my trespass.